Fuel supply system



'June23, 1942. w I RQ BU'CK 2,287,021

FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed ,Nov. v4, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY -RbbBPL/5BUDK June23, 1942. I R. s; BUCK 2,287,021

' FUEL, SUPPLY SYSTEM F iled Nov. 4,1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' EEba 5flu K ATTORNEY INVENTOR I vational view of an internal somewhat'modified Patented June 23, 1942 Richard 8. Buck,

' to Unlted'Airci-aft .g g l .rli Corporation, mew' g Conn.,a corpo D a r won November 4,1939, sci-farm. 302,891

I '17 Claims. This invention relates to improved means 'for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine creel-9 a'plurality it, connected by means? of. and -'has particular reference-to lmprovedmeans with the outlet of a blower section for supplying fuel to an internal] combustion engine equipped with a supercharger for increasing the pressure, of the engine intake air,

An object of theinvention resides in the pro- 1 vision of improved means for injecting th'e fuel under pressure into the airstream entering thef V v l v d w engine tail shaft peller 22 and impeller supercharger.

A further object resides in the provision of. character described for unithe fuel in the airstream proved means of the formly distributing about the supercharger intake. d Other-objectsand advantages will be moreparticularlydescribed hereinafter or will become ap-g I parent as the description proceeds;

- In the accompanying, drawings, in which like"? reference numerals are'used larparts throughout, there are are for the purpose "of illusorrestricting the invention as it will be apparent to those' skilled inj the. art that various changes in the illustrated constructions may be resorted to without in any way exceeding the scope ofthe inventiomfl f In the drawingsFig. 1 is a diagrammatic eleequipped with a'supercharger and fuel injector .to designate simiw d illustrated three v slightlydiiferent mechanical constructions j for the purpose of disclosing the invention. The drawingshowever,

. tration only and are not to hetaken as limiting intake-conduits ll ll having at one side thereof the I supercharger, :generally indriven from the enginexby thefspeed increasing f-gear train, I

pa'rticularlylillustrated in Fig. 2 which shows the generally indicated atf28 and more 30 extending through the im-' drivesleeve .32 to the drive gear 34 which drivesLa small gear 36 connected toe. larger gear" by means of'the lay shaft 40, which largergear impelier drive sleeve 24.-- If. desired, a bushing v I2 may-be disposed ceiving aperture in the drive shaft to add "the'lmpeller and between the sleeve and. the impeller.

38 drives a small gear 50 on the between the drive shaft restrength to the hub portion of provide a driving connection The impeller is provided with an annular air "inlet 54 surrounding the-drive sleeve 32 in the casing which inlet is connected with, some suit-, able form of intake air duc t,nct illustrated. The l fuel is led through :a conduit 56' from some suitable-form of fuel=pressure regulating device, such as a pressure'carburetor. several forms of which I are wellknownto the priorart, operative to'procombustion engine through the portion surrounding the impeller drive sleeve within constructed according to the presentin'vention',

the supercharger portionbeing'broken 'awayand shownin section toillustrate the application of the improved fuel injector thereto.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of an engine supercharger, showing a Y fuel injecting and distributing device, constructed according to the invention, applied thereto.

Fig. '3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a form of fuel inlector anddistributor construct and- Fig,4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a fur-. ther modified form of'fuel injector and distributorconstructed'according tothe invention,

' Referring tothe drawings in detail, andparto Fig; '1, the numeral Ill generally in b 50 ticularly dicates the internal may be of the radial, typ ployed for the propulsion of aircraft although the combustion engine which invention is not limited to. any specific type of ind according to the invention,

conventionally em-' "the the" forward end cf the I substantially parallel to the impeller sleeve 32.

portion the of the, casing 26 immediateprovided. in its face joining the casing with an annular groove 12 communicating with the channel it. Frorn'the channel 62 a plurality of small bores lead to collar; and are disposed A sleeve 88 surroundsthe impeller drive sleeve in grooves lln the sleeve a bushing ll mounted in an enlargement of the within the collar 00 and hasa portionprojecting .uwithinithe.sleevesurroundingpart of the casing "26 which portion is provided with afluid seal comprising a plurality of seal rings "mounted it and cooperating with shaft aperture in the casing.;

b At its front end the sleeve N abuts against a hollow annular member]! which has a forward wall I4 apertured ternal combustion engine. I Such. anengine may when d it a ound "which are haves crankcase to receive the drive sleeve 32 and an intumed'lipjli at the end of its .annularflange portion opposite thewall ll. forward end ofthe collar 00 ls-reduced in size tojfit'within 6: suites; as indicated at impeller and the impeller quantity of fuel supplied to the mass flow of the intake air. to a channel "extending air. entrance .5 'A collarf id is securecltcthe end. of :the impeller. casing surrounding the impeller' drive sleeve and is.

through the conduit ll overflows the inner'edge llcarrie's the fuel entirely around the intake and provides i ev 1] distribution of fu'ela't all angular positions about intake-:whiie-the centrifugal action of the 1 'ular the fuel overflowing the lip It of the fuel into of'thelmpellerairintaknfllhehollow her through the annular channel I! and the inturned lip portion It of the annularmemher 12 and has a radialwall overlappingthe inturned lip portion which radial wall terminates outwardly in ataperedvannulariin ll disposed at an angle to the forward wall of the collar I. s

In operation the fuel is metered through the conduit it to the channel I! from which it flows through the bores 04 into the interior of the hollow annular member". As this annular member is spinning with the drive sleeve I! centrifugal force retains the fuel intheouter portion of the annular member blocked by the intumed lip. ll. After the annular member-has been filled with fuel. additional fuel supplied.

oftheliplt andilowsintothespacebetweenthis' lipandtheforwardwalloftherelstivelynxed j collar'll. centrifugal faction of the annular" member II' causes fuel to impinge at relativelyzmgh velocity against the angularly dis- Il breaks the fuel up into minutely small particlesandz directs it into'the newin intotheaunerc rserimml with this arrangemen the of'theflannular member 12 mayalso be rotation of iael led into the member is'rotated with the annular member, in

this modified 10mm. vanes [4 providing for? positive fuel rotation with the rotating snnular member 12', and they-fuel overflows-the inner" amazon particles and directs these particles into the airstream before the air enters the supercharger impeller 22. This construction provides for an theannular'member 01.2 a 1 A bearing bushing II surrounds the portion ofthir the j radial, portion of" the 82 to 'a I70." edge ofthe i'nturned lip I! to fiowzinto the space Q'Ihefuelchannelll v I it inthe bushing or'sle'evejlla'lndintnan'annular groove "in outer-3mm 0f thebushing page side of the subjected to the man centrifugal forces existing in the impeller so that an even distribution of a uniform fuel mixture to all of the cylinders oi.th eengineisobtained. In the .form of the invention shown in Fig.

4 the bushing It isseeured on a reducedportion of the impeller sleeve 8! between the impeller bushing II andthe rear impeller sleeve bearing 88. and hasan internally splinedportion at the impeller end which engages with the plines provided on the sleeve If within the impeller bushing I to transmitthe driving torque to the impeller. 7 An or fuel spinner i2 mounted on the impeller. sleeve between the bushings ninussans radial'portionextending between the ends of these bushings to a splined management: with the splines II and an inturnedlflange portion It i providing a partly enclosed of the between the annular member Q2 and the bearing fend {with the seal'rings Ito provide"; fluid seal between the bearingbushlng. f

leads' thl'lfl 19cm rotatable bushing A :1 The of thebushing I I! is er III eitelldnomc m; wimmma meena; or me II. the ribs orlsplines groove "I withthe intg'ibl" nlimflnr member 02;; The sleev'ejlii through scenmu an ual: guide m: an-

at Ill,

a central portion lllthrough-"whichthe sh t nudem mbet as and into the'impellerlig,

.The in urned-portionll f members: is i posed iaet lgangle to wall jportionof the memhertanda'dia'cent m the' outer u the, end

plurality of 'ImaIihOIeeor-apertures, .g-smnz u m m; m and I Is; permitthe'fuel fed' into ofannm m' be t eiwt hww t. where itwill'be picked u flow- "1. tures of the m at the m of all of the apertures'providesthe proper rdisdivided form. I v

' illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the u from said annular; member. by centrifugal force understood that. the invention 1 is not limited to the'airstream, entering said supercharger, scribed, but that such changes in. th size, shape into a streamer engine intake airflowing through come within the scope of the subioined claims. the center of said duct, an annular member-carannular air induction device forsupplying engine tions intosaid airstream.

' i device, a hollow annular member rotatable with which the flanged portion of Susanna memalltiines during enginev operation, means for supforations are of diiferentsizes'andare'arranged I plying fuel to the interior of said annularmem- (o in-annular rows with the smallest perforaher for distribution by said annularmember about tionsinthe row nextto; said transverse wall and said induction device, and means for minutely (11- u the largest size perforations in the row most reintake air, a rotatable-shaft atthecenter of saidatthe center'ofsaid devicejmember device, a hollow annularmember rotatable with carriedby said-shaft h v'mg'i mem said annular member'andha g a pluralityjof utin'g itabout said annular member and'having "annularly spaced passages therethrough forsupe j "and uniformly distributing the fueltenor of said annularmember. a

t intake opening-j rotatable shaft' 'at the; center 7 .of said vopening, an annular membera [transverse wall "surrounding said shaft'janiani from" said shaf tto provide an fuelfrey tag-transverse wall at one end and an inturned flange ceiving space within said annular member; and fportion carried by'said walLmeansfoi-sup lymg i 4; In an'engineifffuel distribution systemian io-airstream enteringsaid'alr induction device.

an intermediate size. with this arrangement, annular air induction device, arotatable shaft when a small quantity "only of fuel is being sup- V .at the center of said deyice,an}annular member plied to the engine it will fill only the "outer porcarried by, said shaft having, a transverse wall tion of the hollow interior of the member "92 and at oneendand aninturned lip carried by said will be uniformly projected through the small a; wall, means for supplying. fuel tothe'interior of apertures I ll. As the fuelflow "increases some said annular. member tooverflow said inturned of the fuel will be ejected through the'apertures lip and be ejected by the rotation of said annu- HB and, with a further increase in now, through .iarmember intolth airstream flowin through the row of apertures H8 so that when the .fuel 1 said induction device, and means for receiving flow is at the maxim fuel will eiectedlo the fuel ejected from said annular member and 1 through all of the apertures and the total area directing said fuel into saidairstream in a finely charge area for the maximum fuel flow. v 5. In combination with an engine supercharger From the above description of the'construction having an annular air entrance opening, a roillustrated inFlg. 4 it will be observed that this '15 tatableshaft at the center-of said opening, an arrangement also provides for a uniformdisannular member-carried'by' said shaft having a tribution ofthe engine fuel in finely divided form transverse wall at one end and an .inturnedf lip into the airstream flowing into the engine superat the other, means for: supplying a regulated charger. w v I Y a 7 ,quantity of fuel to said annular member-to over- While three slightly different mechanical ar-, go now said lip, and a fixed member surrounding rangements have been hereinabovedescribed and said annular memberto receive fuel thrown out purpose of disclosing the inventiomit is to be and direct said fuelin flnely'divided form into the particular arrangement so illustrated and de- 25 6. Means for-uniformly distributing liquid fuel andarrangements of parts may be resorted to as q an annular duct comprising, a. rotatable shaft at Havingnow described the invention 50 that -;ried byv said shaft having atransversewall at one others skilled in the art may clearly understand end and a perforated inturned flange portion the same, what it is desired to secure by. Letters carried by said uwall,-andmeans for supplying a Patent is as follows: 1 1, regulated quantity of fuel to the'interior' of said 1. In an engine fuel distribution system, an annular member toIilo'w-through fsaid perfora intake air, a rotatable shaft at the. center of said 35 7. 'Ihe'arrangement as set forth 8 in.

said shaft having a-reentrant portiofeflective to. her is -disposediat an cu 'j to th t retain a quantityof liquid fuel in said member at verse wallsection-thereof" and inlwhich the perviding the fuel'leaving said annularmember. mote from-said annular up 2. In an engine fuel distribution system; an an-[ f 8. In an: engine fuel distribution an nular air induction device for supplying engine annular airqinduction deviee,i a rotatable shaft said shaft foriniectingfuel'by'centrifugal force a atone end a d an inturned flange p rtion car. into the air streamilowing through said. inducriedby said wall, meansfor'gupplymg a tiondevice and having a'reentrantportion e'flecquantity of fuel tosaid annular member to overtive t 'r tai a quantity of liquid' fuel insaid [flow the lip of saldinturnedflange portion, and member at'all timesduring'engine operation, and a fixed-member "surrounding magma hgving means surrounding said shaft and projecting intopassages therein for receiving'fuel and distrib- 'xa portionysurrounding said annular member to eceive fuel thrown out from said annular mem r, by'centnfugal force and directsaid fuel in Jinelyi divided form 'iinto' the-gairstreajm ienterlng I isaidifi inductldn device. T a ..In" fa engineiuel distribution-system an annularjia'ir j-induction device, a 'lhigh speed m tatabb, shaft' i'at" the center! said device, an "annular member carried by said-shaft having a I plying fuel to the interiorof said annular'member about as.

3.'In an en e intakesystem-an ular'air inturned portion carried by said andspaced f means for supplying uel to the interlorof fuel to saidflannular-member tohoverflow the lip annular member said annular member having :or said inturned iia'ng'e p'c-rtiom 'and-a' fixed memone ormore openings therein through wh h fuel ber "surrounding a 'ls'hai'tjglhaving passages is ejected into the airstream flowing through said therein for. distributing air intake opening asj-{said annular member ro- 'jit about'the-interidriofsaidiannular member and tates with said rotatable shafhat least-the maior having a said anpart of the area of said opening or'openings being I nular-member to reeeiveftheifuel'thrownout from iiispgseld inwardly of'therlphery of said annu-' said annular-jbycentrlfugal force and ar ue spacey dlrectlsaid fuelin flnely'divide'dform into the 10. In an engine fuel distribution system, an

.annular air induction device, a rotatable shaft at the center of said device. an annular member carried by said shaft having a transverse-wall at one end and a flanged portion with an inturned lip integral with said transverse wall, means for supplying fuel to the interior of said annular member to overflow said lip and a'fixed member surrounding said shaft having passages therein for receiving said fuel and distributing it about the interior of said annular member and having an annular vane surrounding said annular memher and spaced therefrom to receive fuel thrown out from said' annular member by centrifugal -force and direct said fuel in finely divided form into the ll. In an engine fuel, distribution system, an annular air induction device, a rotatable shaft at the center of said device, an annular member carried by said shaft having a transverse'wall at one end and an annular portion with an inturned lip integral with said transverse wall, means for supplying fuel to the interior of said annular member to overflow said lip, a plurality of transverse vanes in the interior of said annular member to constrain the fuel entering said member to rotate therewith, and a fixed member surrounding said annular member to receive fuel thrown out from said annular member by centrifugal force anddirect said fuel in finely di vided form into the airstream entering said air induction device;

12. In an engine fuel distribution system; an annular air induction device, a rotatable shaft at the center of said device, an annular'member carried by said shaft having a transverse wall at one end and a flanged portion with an inturned lip integral with said transverse wall, means for supplying fuel to'the interior of said annular member to overflow said lip, and a fixed'm'ember air stream entering said air induction device. I

inturned lip. and means carried by said fixed member forreceiving fuel thrown. out by. cen-' trifugal force from said annular member and directing said fuel in finely dividedform into. said air induction device. g

14. In an enginefuel distributionsystem, an annular air induction device including a rotatable impeller drive shaft, a hollow'annular memher on saidshaft having a perforateintermediate portion spaced from said shaft, a member carried by said shaft for directing fuel into the interior of said annular-member for discharge through said perforate intermediateportion into the air- 1 stream entering said air induction device. and

relatively fixed means for supplying a regulated quantity of fuel to said shaft carried means, v

i5.- In an engine air induction system including aiwsupercharger an, air impellermounted on an engine driven shaft, means for adding .fuelto the engine intake air comprising,

'an annular memberfixed tolsaidimpeller shaft concentrically therewith and having an inturned rim portion providing an annular-space for the reception of engine fuel. a second annular member also concentriclwith saidimpeller shaft hav- ;ing a portion extending into said annular space and provided with angularly spaced apart chan- .ne1s for conducting fuel into said annular space,

surrounding said shaft having passages therein for receiving said fuel and distributing it about the interior of said annular member and having a portion surrounding said annular member to receive fuel'thrown out from said annular memher by centrifugal force and direct said fuel in finely divided form into the air stream entering said air induction device, and means providing a fluid tight-seal between said fixed member and said shaft.

, 13. In an engine fuel distribution system, an

annular air induction device includinga rotat-- able impeller and a high speed drive shaft for said impeller, an annular member on said shaft having at one end an inturned lip spaced from i said shaft, a fixed member surrounding said'shal't adjacent to said annular member-and having passages leading to the interior of said annular member, means connected with said fixed mem-w her to nply' l hr ugh said passages to the interior of said annular member to overfiow said and a fuel conduit extending through a relatively fixed part ofsaid supercharger to said second .annular member.

ond annular member leadingto the interior of,

said hollow annular'member, and means for conducting fuel to said fuel channels.

17. 'A fuel distributing element for an engine intake system including an impeller and an impeller driving shaft comprising, an annular member mounted on said shaft adjacent to said impeller and havingon the impeller side thereof an impervious radial wall operatively connected with said shaft, said annular member having a vrim with an inturned portion t'oprovide an annular chamber surrounding said shaft and'one or more openings therein constituting a fuel passage between saidannular chamber andthe exterior of said mm: member, the greater portion of the total area of saidxfuel passage being disposed radially inwardly, or the maximum circumference of saidannular chamber.

RICHARD s. BUCK. 

